The Rising Dusk
by Nyx Crepsley
Summary: Formerly What if... I found a much better title. Oromis is a daddy! And... so is Glaedr? Huh!
1. The truth is revealed

_A/N: Time period: Shortly before the end of the fall... (If that makes sense)What if Oromis was a father...? A single parent with a half elf half shade willful daughter to take care of? How would an elven rider and his dragon take care of a little one? This has been in my head for a while, sorry if it sucks! Might be a little ooc! Disclaimer I own nothing! But Asta is mine! As is the plot._

* * *

Tears poured down Oromis's face as he reread his lover's letter. She left him, for a damn shade called Durza!Not that he should be surprised, she was a shade herself... But still she left him! Left him and their infant daughter, for another man, who was also her half-brother! *wince*

As much as he would love to curse the woman, he had loved her, had a child with her! The greatest show of love to elves! Plus he had bigger worries...How on earth would he take care of his daughter and still perform his duties as a Rider? She was just a baby! His entire world was being turned upside down. And not in a good way. Never before had he felt so helpless.

"So, she's gone then...?" Glaedr finally spoke.

"Yes." Orims replied grimly

"Good riddens to the whore then." Glaedr chuckled darkly.

"Glaedr! How could you be so cold? "

"I am sorry my friend, but to be honest she only loved your status and the envy of others that she had your attention."

Oromis sighed; his dragon was right as much as it hurt. But such things were forgotten as he heard his infant daughter starting to fuss in her cradle. He stood and hurried inside to get her.

"At least she gave us a little one." Glaedr perked up as Oromis returned with a small infant girl with midnight black hair, snow white skin and emerald green eyes.

"At least..." Oromis thought bitterly, still in pain from the loss of his beloved and betraying mate, as he cradled his beloved daughter in his arms and sat in-between Glaedr's front legs.

"Good morning, little hatchling... Did you sleep well?"

Glaedr practically cooed to the infant. A low hum rumbling in his throat, as he touched the tip of his nose to the infant. The child cooed up at the large dragon, touching its nose, giggling and nuzzled the dragon's softer facial scales.

Glaedr licked the small child with a quick flick of his tongue continuing to hum and gently nuzzle the infant.

"Awww Glaedr, I never knew you to be such a mother hen..."

Oromis taunted the dragon.

"Hush you, by the way I have spoken to our old mentors..."

Oromis froze, even many years after his training was complete, his mentor; Master Eragon still scared him to some extent. Master Eragon was a kind man, yes, like a father to him even, but he was damn intimidating.

"And?" Oromis was almost afraid to ask.

"They are to be arriving presently"

"You're just now telling me this!"

Glaedr started to speak but a roar cut him off. A white dot appeared in the sky a quickly grew until a large white dragon was clearly visible. It was long until the massive white dragon, Astro, landed with a dull thud.

"Greetings, hatchlings." The massive ivory male dragon rumbled.

Oromis stood and bowed as best he could with the infant in his arms, before placing her in the outside cradle he had made for her, so she could play with Glaedr and so he could keep an eye on her while he was outside.

Eragon swiftly jumped down from his dragon and hurried over to Orimis. He had not been overly shocked to hear that the shade bitch had left his former student, but upon finding out that the couple had conceived and birthed a child... He'd hurried over to find his student.

Poor young one, he was still a child himself, at least compared to him…. and now to add on caring for an infant along with being a rider... Eragon could only imagine how lost Oromis must feel. This would devastate the younger elf. Without a word Eragon embraced his student, as a gesture of comfort. He'd always thought of Oromis as a son, and ever since Oromis had lost his family in a tragic accident shortly after becoming a rider, the student had grown close to his mentor. Eragon had taken the young man under his wing, so to speak, teaching him personally and had allowed his student to see him as a father figure.

"Master," Oromis choked, feeling his heart breaking all over again. Eragon rubbed the young man's back, "I know, I know." The teacher comforted his student.

Astro nudged the younger elf humming sadly. "I too am saddened by your loss, little one; I know how much you loved her. It is a tragedy that such love was not returned to you."

Oromis reached up and patted the old dragon's muzzle gently. Astro had known better then anyone else, besides Glaedr, just how deeply Oromis had loved his mate. Despite how close Eragon and him were, Oromis still confided more of his thoughts in Astro. He simply felt more at ease with the old dragon.

"Thank you, master." Oromis replied, receiving a small lick on the cheek from the old dragon.

Eragon sighed and pulled back from the young elf, "May we see the child?"

Oromis nodded and scooped up his daughter carefully in his arms. Before returning to his mentor. "May I?" Eragon reached out to hold the child, again Oromis nodded as he carefully placed his child in his mentor's arms.

"Hold her head," Oromis instructed.

Eragon gave his student a dry look, but smiled, "I know how to hold a child, Oromis. I did have a few of my own you know."

Oromis smiled too, if that wasn't an understatement! Eragon had a grand total of four children during his life with his mate. A record number for an elf. All were now grown though and his mate, unfortunately, had passed away 20 years ago.

Eragon held the infant girl carefully in his arms, smiling down at her. The babe cooed up at him with big emerald eyes, pale skin, and midnight black hair. "What is her name?"

Oromis looked at Glaedr smiling shyly and together they said, "Asta Eraya,"

*(pronounced AS *rhymes with Taz* TA * rhymes with Duh) (Era-ya *first A is silent* sounds like Arya with an E instead of an A)

Glaedr and Oromis had wanted to name the after their mentors, hoping for a boy at the time... However the name had to be modified after they learned that the baby was a she, not a he.

"We are honored...That you would name your first child after us." Astro rumbled, before speaking only to his rider.

"A near spitting image of her father, is she not?" The ivory Dragon's deep voice rumbled in his riders mind.

"She is indeed. And such pretty child too. Oromis and Glaedr will be chasseing off suitors left and right." Eragon chuckled softly, as the child gripped tightly to his fingers. And Astro was right; the child was a dead ringer for her father, only her eyes differed. Were Oromis had light blue eyes, Asta had green eyes, but tiny flecks of blue could still be seen. But other than that... The two were identical.

"At least we know that Oromis is the father, I would not have doubted it had that wretched wench invited another man between her foul..." Astro snarled, becoming more vulgar by the minute.

"Astro! For shame! Watch that saucy tongue of yours!" Eragon scolded his dragon. Shocked to hear such a thing from…. Ok well maybe not THAT shocked… it was after all Astro. Saucy tongue and all…

"Oh, you know it to be true!" That ivory dragon clicked his teeth together.

"Aye, but I do not need to voice it!" Eragon tried to sound as serious and as scandalized as possible, but Astro had a point. That woman was a whore….

"Humph! A tiny thing, for sure." Astro sniffed the infant curiously; the infant squealed and giggled at the dragon, happily.

"She smells like a dragon." Astro projected his thoughts outward.

Oromis laughed, "I wouldn't doubt that, she spends much of the day with Glaedr. "

"She seems to favor a dragon's company over an elf… or really any other being." Glaedr finished for him and chuckled.

"Does she react well to flying?" Eragon asked idly, still playing with the baby in his arms.

"She may have been born an elf but she has the heart of dragon." Glaedr spoke wistfully, making his rider laugh.

Eragon looked up at his students, "Does she now?"

Oromis stood closer to his mentor and talked with him. While Astro approached Glaedr resting next to him, and spoke to his son and former student.

"You are very attached to this little hatchling, my young one."

Glaedr inwardly sighed, it was not a question. "Yes, Sire. I care for her like one of my..." Glaedr stopped himself from finishing that thought. Too late though, he knew what was to come now.

Astro glared down at Glaedr with parental authority and snarled, "Like one of your own? I should damn well hope you do not! You have your own and you abandoned him to me, to keep as a shameful secret! From everyone! Even your own Rider! You could care less for your own!"

Glaedr was stung, "That is a lie! I care very much for him! You know why he must be kept a secret..."

Astro calmed, "Forgive me my hatchling; I know you care very much for your son. But must you be so shamed by him? If you mated and it was love, it matters not who it was. Why are you so ashamed of the dame who birthed him?"

Glaedr shifted becoming uncomfortable, "Saphira was my student! A fellow Rider! I had known her since she was a hatchling herself!"

Astro looked at his hatchling with a softer gaze, " You have yet to tell me how or why this happened, hatchling."

Glaedr looked shameful or as close to the expression he could get.

He hated himself for his most shameful and utterly embarrassing act.

"Morzan had just betrayed us and Brom was trying to convince Oromis to let him track the traitor down. We were both scared, fearful for our riders... We went flying; to clear our minds... we landed on the old mateing grounds…. Saphira started crying, she was so full of dread, and she knew something horrible was to happen. I tried to comfort her and... Well, you know the rest... It was an accident Sire; we never meant anything by it or to produce an egg! It just happened, it just happened..."

Astro gave a comforting growl. "Glaedr... You must tell your Rider at the very least. Brom has the right to know but... His mind is unstable at best presently." Astro paused, "But your Rider must be told... It is not wise to keep secrets from him."

Glaedr looked away, "I cannot! He will never forgive me! He will hate me!"

Astro snorted at such dramatics, "Your Rider will not hate you, foolish hatchling! He may be upset or angry with you, yes, and have every right to be... But he will forgive you. And if you cannot tell him... I will do so! He will certainly be furious with you then!"

Glaedr sighed, defeated. "Where is the egg?"

Astro inwardly smiled, "He is in the bag we will leave you, under the fireweed."

*** Later that same night***

Eragon and Astro left a few hours ago. They were going to stay in the Elf city in their room, so as they could be close in case they were needed, and they had taken Asta with them to allow her father an undisturbed night's sleep.

"Oromis..."

"Yes?"

Glaedr was silent for a moment, the feeling of shame, worry and dread passing from him to Oromis.

'Glaedr, is there something wrong?"

"Yes... I have shamed the name of Riders... I am a horrible dragon and an even worse mentor..."

Glaedr's words caught Oromis off guard. "Glaedr, you are a wonderful dragon, and you do not shame the name of Riders, you are the best dragon a rider could have!"

Glaedr breathed, "Do not say such things just yet... I must tell you something... I only ask that you try to not think less of me once I do..." The golden dragon was quiet for a while then continued. "Do you recall when Brom begged you to let him hunt Morzan down?''

"yes..." Oromis replied suddenly unsure of where Glaedr was going with this. A wave of deep embarrassment hit Oromis from the link he shared with his dragon.

"Well..." Glaedr started.

***In Eragon's room in the Elf city***

"So you convinced Glaedr to tell Oromis, hmm?"

Astro chuckled softly, "More or less..."

Eragon narrowed his eyes at the ivory dragon. "What did you do?"

Astro chuckled evilly, "I merely gave the choice of him telling his Rider the truth, or that I would tell Oromis the truth about it as well as many other things unknown to him about his dear dragon Glaedr..."

Eragon gaped. "That is cruel torment..."

Astro closed his eyes, looking like he was sleeping, "You call it torment, I call it parenting..."

Eragon opened his mouth to respond, but stopped as a wave of pure rage swept over Astro and himself through the indirect link between Astro and Glaedr.

"It seems as though one of our hatchlings is none too pleased with the other..." Astro commented.

"I almost feel sorry for Glaedr..."

Astro looked up at his rider.

"Almost." Eragon said out loud.

***Oromis' hut***

"YOU WHAT?" Oromis shouted out loud and in thought at the top of his lungs in his fury and shock. Grateful that Asta was with Eragon and could not hear him.

Glaedr cringed visibly and covered his muzzle under one of his claws. "Oromis, please understand, neither Saphira nor I meant to produce an egg from our union... We never even meant for the union to happen! It was an accident, the heat of the moment... It just happened Oromis, it just happened. I am deeply sorry for not telling you sooner. I was ashamed of my actions, and fearful of how you would react! We both were! And when Saphira was killed... I did not know what to do! I have no knowledge of raising offspring! I panicked! So I went to Astro and Eragon and pleaded with them to take the egg and hide it, in secret."

Oromis slumped in his chair looking at his dragon through the window. His dragon had sired a single egg with Saphira, Brom's dragon. Their own students! And on top of that hidden it from him!

"Are you terribly angry with me, Oromis?" Glaedr asked several silent minutes later.

Oromis sighed. In truth, he had been livid, how could Glaedr do this to him? But... He understood why Glaedr had done so, still he was hurt.

"I am not as angry as I am hurt. How could you Glaedr?" He felt Glaedr's sorrow and guilt,

"I am so sorry my friend, I truly am... I will make no excuse for my actions. Can you ever forgive me?"

Oromis opened his mind fully to his dragon, no matter what happened or what either of them did, they would always make amends.

"I will always forgive you my friend." Their mental embrace was one that no one else but them could share. After a few moments Oromis broke the silence. "Where is the egg?"

'In the bag of fireweed Master Eragon gave us. 'Oromis grabbed the bag a shifted through it. He finally found what he was looking for. From the bag he pulled out was the color of the midnight sky with golden veins. "The infant waits for its rider."

Glaedr confirmed Oromis' unspoken question. "You do not want me to tell the Queen of this do you?"

"Not if we do not have to..." Glaedr was still very much embarrassed by his actions that produced this egg.

"Very well. It looks like we are both single parents now…"

Glaedr only snorted in responce... This was going to be interesting... How were they going to hide a dragon egg?

* * *

**R&R**

Come to the dark side...We have cookies!


	2. The Rising Dusk: The plot thickens still

Chapter 2: The Rising Dusk

**_80 years later..._**

The entire elf race that had gathered was completely silent as they waited for Glaedr, the last of the old Dragons to reveal the reason why he had asked them all to gather here in the clearing in the middle of the city tonight.

"Where are they?" The golden dragon growled in his thoughts.

It was time that his rider found out what Glaedr had known for the past 80 years. That the child he and his rider raised, was still alive and well. Not missing or lost but had in fact followed in their footsteps... Kind of...

Unlike how Oromis had been timid in the face of blood and gore and shied away from death in the beginning,This Rider was impassive, almost brutal and very dragon hearted. She could maim, torture, and kill without even blinking and had a dagger sharp mind to back it was a true mercenary who worked exclusively for the Elves, and she was willing to die for the same race whom from infancy onward had rejected with out delay.

At least until her last assignment...which Glaedr just knew was a suicide mission given by the queen and one he would NEVER forgive the Queen race, save for two, aside from her father had shunned, hated and wronged her in more ways than he had ever thought possible and all because of reasons that the child had no control over.

Sickening. Completely sickening.

And still she would end her own life before she would allow herself to be captured alive. Just to protect them, even if they would never do such a thing for her.

'Amazing...' He thought. Simply amazing... A half elf, half Shade, a breed of all her own. A child who should never have been born, from a union that should have never been done. And now that very child that the world had so cruely damned was a Rider, and apart of their last hope. May all those who wronged her and that bitch that birthed her rot in a pit of flames.

"What is going on Glaedr?" Oromis asked him. A flicker of light entered his mind just as he was to answer.

"Finally...They are here." He responded to all.

Eragon and the elves looked up as a roar boomed across the midnight sky like a fearsome clap of thunder. A large black figure... A Dragon! Yes, he was sure it was! Flew high above and then suddenly plunged in to a complete free fall... An acrobatic maneuver that neither he or Saphira had even dreamed of trying, let alone at night! Just when it seemed that the dragon would crash to its death it rose sharply and a smaller figure, its Rider, leapt off of it in to their own free fall only to be caught by a flying black cloud that sent shivers down Eragons spine.

Dark magic... Just like Durza... This rider was powerful and skilled in all kinds of magic... It was a very unsettling thought.

The Rider landed gracefully in front of them as a large black wild looking dragon with cold silver eyes landed behind him. The Elves were in awe and whispered in joy.

The dragon was very different from Saphira and Master Glaedr, its head was slightly more triangular, it had a pitch black mane with small slits of silver running through it, and a vicious looking appendage on the end of its tail.

But what stabbed Eragon in the heart was the scar that cut across the side of the dragon's face. From the largest horn on it's head down across it's silver eye to the tip of it's upper jaw, was a hidious and angry looking scar, as if the dragon had been clawed across the face and it had not been allowed to heal properly.

The scar deformed the dragons face, though as far as Eragon could see, it didnt blind the dragon, but it did twist it's upper lip in to a permanent growl.

It brought a stab of pain to his heart and a wave of sorrow from Saphira.

The dragon was twice the size of Saphira but barely half the size of Master Glaedr.

Its growl rumbled like thunder its eyes were like lightning, and it was awesome in its power. It didn't take long for anyone to realize that the mane and appendage was not a part of the dragon but was Urgal made armor. This rider had many and strange allies.

The stories this Rider must have to tell... Eragon thought in awe.

The Rider moved to remove his helmet...

"Another rider!" Eragon thought and spoke to Saphira. They no longer had the entire weight upon them! They had help. Eragon was relieved and excited at the same time. Finally a brother rider whom he could train with and talk to. A friend that he could confide in. Another rider who was…..A GIRL?

The rider shook out her long ebony hair and removed the heavy bags from her dragon

"Asta! My daughter! Oh I have missed you so!" Oromis moved toward and embraced his daughter tightly. His actions leaving Eragon and Saphira in complete shock and ran towards her father and embraced him with joy.

"And I have missed you father. So very much!" Asta's voice was slightly accented and rough like a dragons growl. Eragon recalled that when a Dragon and rider where truly becoming one, their voices tended to blend together a little for a short time.

The Queen stood in complete shock... The half elf was a rider! And had succeeded in the mission she had been given were all other elves had failed...

The Queen knew then she'd better get used to apologizing... She had wronged this child GREATLY and for a very long time.

Many of the elves suddenly looked very ashamed. This did not escape Eragon's notice.

Asta ran over to Glaedr...

"Master Glaedr! Oh I have missed you something terrible! "

She hugged the large dragon's muzzle.

"And I you my hatchling!"

A great wave of sudden sorrow hit Glaedr.

"What saddens you hatchling?" The golden dragon asked the daughter of his heart and rider in her mind.

"Oh my master! You cannot imagine the horrible things that have been done to him! And he knows! He knows now what that monster has done to him and his rider! So much pain and torment! I do not understand how one could harm a dragon in such ways!" she responded, greatly upset for only him to hear as her grip tightened.

Glaedr hummed sadly. His hatchling loved dragons so. She even secretly had pledged herself to protect the dragons at all costs in the ancient language. She had grown up with Glaedr as a second father and had spent more time with him then any other being, mainly because he was one of the few beings that had not shunned her at birth. So it was only natural that seeing any dragon harmed in anyway would upset her to a great degree, they were like family to her.

"The king is a mad man and a monster. He does not care whom he hurts. But we will help our brother and slay the man who hurts him so, I promise." Glaedr tried to comfort her.

Asta nodded and smiled at the Dragon she saw as her second father. Before she suddenly scowled and turned to the saddle bags to gab a dirty wet looking bag, with something heavy in it.

"What? Did no one have confidence in my return? Or that I may become a Rider like my father? Or did you think my blood was too impure and blackened for that to be a possibility? Or worse that I would just join that whore and give you all a real reason to hate me? Hmm?"

Asta snapped at the Elves rather cruelly, who all but two looked utterly ashamed. But they deserved it, and it had been stood in front of the Queen and stabbed the sack with a blade and twisted it as black shadows not blood gusted out of it staining the blade and the ground.

She removed the blade with force then needed as a high pitched and piercing woman's scream was heard from the sack causing the dragons to growl and for the elves to cover their ears. Asta threw the bag at the Queens feet, a heart tumbling out before it turned to ashes and sank away in to the darkness.

"The heart of the She-Shade that threatened to betray the elves. As promised. Unless you've added on to your request since I left?" Asta drawled coldly as she cleaned off her dagger and hands with a cloth before tossing it aside.

"Brisinga!" The strange rider snarled using both hands to set the sack and the ruined cloth ablaze at the same time. Looking the Queen in the eye.

The Queen shook her head silently and Asta moved on to glare at the other elves.

The gathering was silent, and the tension was thick enough to cut with a sword as it stretched on.

Arya finally broke the silence.

"Moony, my friend, Welcome home!"

Asta smiled at her friend and at the nickname the elf had given her so long ago. The first of the only two elves that had ever given her the chance to be their friend and didn't hate her because of her breeding.

"Arya, good to see you again. I heard you were a damsel in distress for a while... The new rider had to come to the rescue eh? Loosing your edge with age?"

Arya laughed and pushed her friend playfuly.

"Hush! A minor set back in my mission."

"I would have to agree with you Princess, a woman of such delicacy should not be venturing out of the palace." Asta teased her friend. Arya laughed at her and they bantered for a bid with playful punches and barbs.

"You shall pay for that later, Moony." Arya threatened mockingly. The blacksmith that Eragon had met earlier on also approached and greeted this elf Rider.

"And for you my equally cross and saucy tongue friend, I have found the sword of which we spoke of..."

Asta drew a riders sword, completely black and silver with a diamond in the hilt.

"Moony! How did you pull this off! This sword was destroied!"

Asta shook her head. "No, it's twin, was destroyed, turns out their names got confused somewhere down the line and this one ended up in the hands of a human Monastery just outside the of the Empire. And before ask... Let's just say it's a long story as to how I got it and let us just not question it."

Asta, Arya and the blacksmith laughed at some secret inside joke.

Eragon was rather confused by all this and he looked to Master Glaedr in question.

"Your Sister, in the way of being a Rider, has been wronged by most of the elves here for a very long time, and for a reason beyond her control. She has every right to be so cold and cross towards them. And that is all I will say on that matter. But she is completely loyal to our cause, never doubt that hatchling." Glaedr's voice rumbled in Eragon's head.

Eragon was about to reply to his mentor, when he felt a hot breath on his face. He turned to find himself nose to nose with the ebony Dragon. Even with it's armor removed, the dragon looked extremely angry, wild and feral.

From his present angle Eragon could see a handful of dull gray scars that covered the dragons face, as well as the small golden and a few blue flecks in it's silver eyes.

Eragon stood very still and quiet.

"You must be the young rider, Eragon Shadeslayer, that my rider and I have been hearing about..."

The clearly male voice of the black dragon rumbled in Eragons mind. His voice sounded extremely close to Master Glaedr's only younger and with a slight accent that Eragon could not identify.

"Yes, I am. And my Dragon is Saphira."

The large ebony male dragon nodded or more so bobbed it's head once, as if he had just been confirmed of something.

"I am known as Dark Son, storm chaser and the raising dusk. But you may call me Wrath. My Rider is the Mistress of the Shadows, and brave cub. I thank you , Eragon Shadeslayer you defeated Durza most valiantly, and saved my Rider much pain."

The Dragon broke the connection before Eragon could respond and moved towards Saphira where much of the same conversation took place. Once the dragon had walked away Eragon glanced at Saphira.

"Wrath... Such an angry name.."

Eragon spoke solely to her and in a hushed whisper.

"He is a very angry Dragon. And if what Master Glaedr says is true, for good reason."

Saphira replied as they watched the ebony Dragon interact with Master Glaedr and Master Oromis.

Master Oromis patted the dragons muzzel and nothing more. However the way Wrath interacted with Glaedr was very different. The golden dragon humed deeply and nudged the head of the smaller ebony dragon. The two seemed very close, it struck Eragon as odd that Glaedr did so if he was only the Dragon and Riders mentor. But Eragon chose not to comment.

"I am going to see who this new rider is." Saphira stood and slowly approached the new Rider.

"Be careful Saphira..." Eragon whispered to her in his mind. he didn't trust this new angry dragon.

An agreement with out words was her response.

"This is very odd..." Eragon thought to himself as he watched the elves reaction. They didn't move to greet this Dragon or his Rider, did not even speak to them. If anything they kept their distance from them both.

As Saphira got close to the rider, Wrath took notice and tensed up at another dragon nearing his rider.

He growled loudly at Saphira, snapping his teeth together and snarling at her. As he stood ready to defend his Rider. Wrath roared a loud and threatening warning to Saphira when he thought she was close enough.

"Saphira..." Eragon warned her. This new male dragon made him nervous.

"I can hear him Eragon." Saphira assured him.

"At ease Wrath... Saphira is only greeting me." The Rider had turned and spoke softly to her Dragon out loud. Wrath's growling quieted but he did not relax nor did he take his silver eyes off Saphira.

"You'll have to forgive him Saphira brightscales. Our journey here has not been easy. And very few races we have encountered have been friendly. He is very protective of his Rider."

Asta spoke to Saphira, with her mind as she placed a hand softly on her muzzle and stroked the softer scales there in a way she knew most dragons liked.

Saphira made a soft friendly growl, as she pressed in to the riders palm. "I understand, I would react the same way, were I in his position. A dragon is always protective of their Rider."

Asta smiled and made dragon like grunts and growls in her throat, much to Eragons surprise and Saphira's pleasure.

Eragon watched Wrath with caution, he didn't trust this dragon. He looked so feral and angry... He wasn't sure if he believed Master Glaedr that this dragon wouldn't turn on them like a wolf when they weren't looking.

Eragon looked back and what he saw shocked him.

Saphira was laying on her belly, nuzzling the new Rider as if she was a small cat trying to get a piece of fish.

"Saphira! Control yourself! We don't know this Rider!" Eragon snapped at her... He was embarrassed by her actions, it looked as if he couldn't control his own dragon in public or as if she couldn't control herself. And maybe he was a bit jealous... Saphira was his dragon. He was sure if he felt comfortable having another strange rider touch her.

Though, no one else seemed to be paying any attention to it as all the elves seemed to be avoiding eye contact with the new Rider and Dragon at all costs.

Saphira ignored him, brushing him aside with her thoughts like some bothersome fly. Just he was about to snap at her, Asta caught his eye and patted Saphires snout gently and ending the dragons strange behavior, and approached him.

The new Rider bowed and made the elf gesture used as a greeting to Eragon and spoke the words first.

Eragon greeted her in kind and finished the words.

"Forgive me Rider, I have been around Dragons and other beings so long it is easy to forget how to interact with humans and elves... Let me introduce myself properly. I am Asta who is the Mistress of the shadows and Brave Cub."

Eragon nodded feeling a little more comfortable now that he had a name to go with the face.

"Eragon Shadslayer. A pleasure to meet you."

Asta smiled lightly and clapped him on his good shoulder.

"Good to see that Wrath and I won't be alone in training anymore... Please, never mind how I act towards the elves... It is an old and bloody wound I tend to gnaw on every now and again. But nothing to be concerned about." Asta explained. The Queen finally spoke, clearing her throat softly, before speaking with what Eragon swore was a small guilty tone and a tremor to her voice.

"Welcome back, Rider Asta and Welcome Wrath, Dark Son. You have fullfilled your mission and have brought us new hope for defeating Galbatorix... and we all thank you."

Asta turned sharply towards the Queen and meet her gaze heavily."I believe you mean survived the suicide mission you gave me, my Queen... And of course I am always happy to serve the race that would so much rather me dead."Asta snapped coldly and rather sarcasticly.

Eragon flinched at the venom in her voice and wondered just what the entire elf race could have done to deserve such hatred from this Queen and most of the elves flinched a little as well.

"Your hatred for us is just and very much deserved. I will be the first to admit that I personally and the elven race has wronged you greatly and unfairly done so for far too much so I am surprised you are still loyal to us. I would not have blamed you if you had joined Galbitorix..."The Queen approached Asta and spoke softly. Looking truly guilty and remorseful."I personally admit that I was the worst offender to you and what was done. I knew what was happening and I did nothing to stop it. Even joining in on your torment myself and for that I can not even begin to ask for your forgiveness as I do not deserve it."

Asta sighed and her scowl dropped as she looked at the queen.

"As a Rider I could easily refuse to serve you and leave here for your actions... And for the actions of this race... I could easily refuse to help them at all. However, I was not a Rider when the actions of which you speak of took place. And despite it all, had you and this race not done so, I would have fallen to the Shade you sent me to destroy many years ago. I would not have the strength I have now, nor the wisdom.

And I would still be plagued by the weakness of such and a liability to the cause of this war. So... As a Rider, and as an elf... I offer you and the elf race my full forgiveness, save for one elf. You know who I speak of, his actions are completely unforgivable."

The entire elf race looked up in noteable shock and several gasped at Asta's words. The Queen looked at the Rider before her in awe before it disappeared.

"I know of who you speak of and agree. He shall never be allowed near you for any reason. He will pay for his actions towards you... My only regret is that it took so long for such a punishment to be done."

Asta nodded to the Queen, "Then, my Queen, on my word as a Rider, you and the elf race is forgiven... If only you may allow me to be apart of it as I never was aloud to be so before... and if you will allow Wrath and I to give our gifts for the up coming ceremony."The Queen nodded and lightly embraced Asta tightly, as she had her daughter.

"Indeed you shall. And it would an honor for all of us to receive your chosen gifts at the ceremony." Asta relaxed and smiled, looked up at Wrath for a moment before he spoke to the entire race for the first time.

"If my Rider forgives you, and the elven race, save for one, then upon my word as a Rider and Dragon I forgive you for your actions towards my Rider as well... But if anyone even attempts to harm or distress my Rider in any way again... I will not hesitate to protect and defend her, by any means..."

Wrath's voice rumbled with a sharp hiss and a thunderous growl. His displeasure was clear and his threat was duly noted. "I would expect no less form you Wrath." The queen nodded in agreement.

"Now, if you would excuse us, my Queen, we would like to get back to our training as soon as possible."The queen nodded and waved her hand to signal that they were dismissed.

Eragon rode Saphira behind Glaedr and Oromis while the new rider and dragon followed. "And so the plot thickens still..." Saphirra muttered to Eragon.

* * *

**R&R**

**Come to the dark side...**

**We have cookies!**


End file.
